Supply Chain by the Numbers: May 1, 2008

Supply Chain by the Numbers

-May 1, 2008

The Numbers Worth Knowing this Week in Supply Chain and Logistics

This Week: Inventory Deload Program at Wal-Mart Pays Off; SanDisk Improves S&OP with New SC Technology; North American 3PL Market Continues Growth; GM Takes a Hit to the Wallet Due to Supplier Strike



.7%
The amount of inventory growth in the Wal-Mart US group in 2007, versus a 5.7% growth in sales, as recently announced in the company’s annual report. The success of Wal-Mart’s Inventory Deload program is paying off, as in past years when nventory was growing faster than sales.

2-3

The number of months it used to take flash drive maker SanDisk to complete monthly plans, before it implemented new supply chain technology and dramatically improved S&OP processes, as described this week by CIO Cecilia Claudio at the i2 User Conference.


7.4%
Growth in the North American Third Party Logistics market in 2007, according to data released this week from Armstrong and Associates, a logistics industry research firm. That number is down from the double digit gains of recent years, but still strong overall. Forecast for 2008 though is for just 5.5% growth.




800 million
The cost estimate by GM of the negative impact of the two-month strike at American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings, which has impacted production at 30 plants.